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The fast tracking of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) first major offshore natural gas fields in the Red Sea heralds the start of a massive new energy programme for the Kingdom, which will ultimately create new commercial opportunities for service companies with deep-water experience.State oil company Saudi Aramco has announced $25 billion of capital expenditure to develop oil and gas reserves lying in deep water in the Red Sea, following the discovery of the Ahmar-1 field of non-associated gas approximately 24 kilometres north-west of Duba in the Tabuk Province on the west coast of the Kingdom.A major gas processing facility and a large power plant are scheduled for construction in Duba, which will become the apex of a pipeline network to carry gas south to industrial cities along the Red Sea coast.Deep-water oil and gas production means that companies with extensive operations in Europe's North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico should be well positioned to secure work when future … [Read more...] about Deep-Water Knowledge Will Be Key to Saudi Aramco’s Red Sea Play

President Donald Trump departed Washington Friday afternoon for Riyadh, kicking off a nine-day trip with stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Europe. According to National Security Advisor Gen. H.R. McMaster, who previewed the President’s trip, the trip has three core purposes: (1) reaffirm U.S. global leadership; (2) continue building key relationships with world leaders; and (3) broadcast a message of unity to U.S. friends and to “the faithful of three of the world’s greatest religions.” Gen. McMaster also noted that President Trump prioritizes building strong relationships. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is accompanying the President.Last Thursday, President Trump welcomed President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia to the White House, where the two met together with Vice President Michael Pence before participating in a joint press conference. President Trump “affirmed the United States’ willingness to assist Colombia’s … [Read more...] about President Trump Travels Overseas to Saudi Arabia, Israel and Europe; Congress Focuses on Iran, Russia and Cyber Matters

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has pardoned a woman who was sentenced to prison for being alone in a car with a man before she was raped by seven men.The woman’s sentence was increased to six months in prison and 200 lashes when she appealed a shorter original sentence, the Associated Press reports. The appeals court also pulled the law license of the woman’s lawyer, human rights activist Abdul-Rahman al-Lahem.The woman claimed she was merely trying to retrieve a photograph of herself from the man, a former boyfriend, according to the New York Times. Her case provoked international criticism, including a statement from the White House calling the sentence outrageous, the Associated Press reported. Updated 1:24 p.m. CST. … [Read more...] about Saudi Rape Victim Pardoned for Being Alone in Car

When a Saudi man studying chemical engineering in Texas allegedly ordered certain items that can be used to make explosives, workers at two different suppliers became suspicious.Both notified authorities on Feb. 1. Today the U.S. Department of Justice announced a criminal case against the college student, Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, who is in the country legally on a student visa, reports the Associated Press.“After mastering the English language, learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target the infidel Americans, it is time for jihad,” the suspect wrote in a private journal, court documents allege.Articles in the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post offer additional details.The 20-year-old suspect is accused of mulling over various potential targets, including the Dallas home of former president George W. Bush. Although he reportedly may have indicated that he was inspired by al-Qaida, the Los Angeles Times says he is considered to be a “lone … [Read more...] about ‘Lone Wolf’ Saudi, Studying in Texas, Is Charged in Alleged Explosives Plot

In reaction to the global economic slowdown and commodity price collapse, Saudi Arabia’s leaders have made virtue of necessity in announcing plans for far-reaching economic, educational and related reforms. They aim to innovate and diversify the economy of the Kingdom. The goal is faster growth and job creation, especially in the private sector, in order to meet the high aspirations of its very young population and secure a prominent role in the region and beyond.In April 2016, with strong support from his father King Salman, 30-year old Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed rolled out the “Vision 2030” policy platform[1] and announced that a concrete National Transformation Plan (NTP) to help implement the plan would soon be launched. The Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) has approved the final draft of the NTP, which is to include implementation steps on a number of sectors covered by Vision 2030. The Saudi cabinet is expected to approve the … [Read more...] about Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 — Ambitions to Modernize and Diversify the Economy

The EPA issues a $1 million fine against a global plastics producer for alleged Clean Air Act violations in Alabama and Indiana.The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a $1 million fine against a global plastics producer for alleged Clean Air Act violations at its plants in two small, polluted communities seven hours apart in Alabama and Indiana. Ajani Winston/iWatch NewsThe civil penalty against SABIC Innovative Plastics, announced May 31, targets leak detection and repair failings that resulted in hundreds of tons of hazardous air pollutant releases every year, the federal agency said.SABIC, a global producer of polymers and thermoplastics, is a top employer in the two towns involved: Burkville, a rural community best known for hosting Alabama’s annual Okra Festival, and Mount Vernon, a town of just under 6,700 nestled in the southernmost tip of Indiana.The EPA’s 15-count complaint said SABIC skirted Clean Air Act rules on monitoring and repairing equipment leaks, … [Read more...] about EPA Settles Case in 2 States: Clean Air Act Case Brings $1 Million Penalty

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) continues to dominate the Middle East projects market with MEED Projects (MEED) identifying it as accounting for US$1.2 trillion of the US$3.3 trillion projects underway or planned in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries plus Iraq and Iran. This leaves the UAE, dominated by Abu Dhabi’s energy market, in second place at US$800 billion and Iraq a distant third at US$400 billion. MEED’s previous expectation that Iraq would overtake KSA by 2020 is now in question due to the oil price turbulence in the last nine months and the ISIS security challenges in Iraq.The scale of the KSA projects market translates across to the size of the opportunities for business focussed on supporting the massive EPC supply chain on greenfield projects and operations and management support in brownfield operations across upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas facilities, petrochemicals plants and massive ports infrastructure on both the east and west … [Read more...] about Saudi Arabia Still Remains Kingpin in the Middle East Projects Market

Tensions flare in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia executes an Iranian cleric. Irate Iranians storm the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The Saudis cut off relations with Iran. Saudi allies in the region follow suit. Iran seizes two U.S. Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf. All the while, the U.S. Government pours billions into the region. Today, we address one U.S. Government procurement for F-15 fighter jet support services for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) out of the scores of contracts that made up those billions of U.S. dollars. Bid Protest Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2015. The report lists the most prevalent grounds for winning bid protests. In a prior blog post, we reviewed the first item on GAO’s list, Unreasonable Cost or Price Evaluation. Now, we take a look at item no. 2 on GAO’s list, Unreasonable Past Performance Evaluation. GAO uses its decision in Al Raha Group for Technical Service, Inc.; Logistics Management International, Inc., B-411015.2; … [Read more...] about Saudi F-15 Fighter Support Contract Decision Holds Keys To Winning Bid Protests . . . and To Winning Proposals

Jordan Belfort, but according to a complaint that the Department of Justice filed on Wednesday, money used for the production of that film came from questionable sources, the Wall Street Journal reported.The government’s forfeiture complaint, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, looks to seize more than $1 billion in assets that were allegedly improperly acquired from 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1MDB), an economic development fund in Malaysia. The money allegedly went to a number of people, including Riza Aziz, the stepson of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and co-owner of Red Granite Pictures, an L.A.-based company that was one of the producers of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” According to the Hollywood Reporter, the complaint says that Red Granite Pictures received $64 million dollars from 1MDB. The assets that the DOJ is looking to seize include the rights to the movie, properties in New York, Los … [Read more...] about DOJ Complaint Seeks $1 Billion, Including Rights to ‘Wolf of Wall Street’

Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). JASTA created what is called “subject-matter jurisdiction” in United States federal courts for civil lawsuits against any sovereign nations that “knowingly or recklessly contribute material support or resources, directly or indirectly, to persons or organizations that pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism…” Until now, civil lawsuits naming foreign nations as defendants were just about always thrown out of federal because the doctrine of “foreign sovereign immunity” acted as an absolute shield against plaintiffs. With the passing of JASTA, though, that’s all changed. The lawsuit may succeed or fail, but JASTA created jurisdiction, and these plaintiffs will at least get their day in court.JASTA, passed on the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, had something of an unusual road through Congress. Because of its irresistible political appeal, JASTA sailed … [Read more...] about Hundreds of 9/11 Families File Lawsuit Against Saudi Arabia